The Book of Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah)

INTRODUCTION

Marriage is a social institution as old as the human race
itself. It may be defined as a relation between a man and a woman which is recognised by
custom or law and involves certain rights and duties, both in the case of the parties
entering the Union, and in case of the children born of it. Marriage has thus two main
functions to perform: it is the means adopted by human society for regulating relations
between the sexes; and it furnishes the mechanism by means of which the relations of a
child to the community is determined.

The rites and ceremonies of marriage have been different
with different peoples and in different ages. but these two functions mentioned above are
common even where in marriage. It always implies the right of sexual intercourse as
allowed and recognised by society and the duties of the parents in bringing up children.

Islam recognises this institution and accepts it as the
basis of human society after purging it of all those evils which had penetrated it.

Firstly, Islam does not regard it as a union only for the
gratification of sexual lost, but a social contract with wide and varied responsibilities
and duties. The reason behind it is that, according to the Divine Faith, a woman is not a
plaything in the hand of man. but a spiritual and moral being who is entrusted to him on
the sacred pledge to which Allah is made a witness. The wife is, therefore, not meant. to
provide sensuous pleasure only to the male, but to fully co-operate with him in making the
life of the family and ultimately of the whole humanity significantly meaningful.

The Holy Qur'an has in so many verses pointed out the
different purposes of marriage. It states:" And of His signs is that He has created
wives for you from yourselves that you might find quiet of wind in them, and He put
between you love and affection" (xxx. 21). In this verse it has been said that the
female is not inferior to the male in the sense that the former is created out of a
superior stuff while the latter comes of a base origin. Both man and woman are the progeny
of Adam and thus both have the same soul. The purpose of marriage, according to the Holy
Qur'an, is therefore, the union of the two souls which are one in essence. Their separate
existence is an unnatural state of their being which changes Into the natural state when
they are united by marriage and thus are brought close to each other physically, mentally
and emotionally.

Both man and woman are the joint heirs of the grace of
life, and unless there is a very close and intimate form of companionship in them, they
cannot enjoy the true grace of life." He it is Who created you from a single soul,
and of the same did He make his spouse, that he might find comfort in her" (vii.
189)." Comfort" implies much more than a mere sexual gratification. It is not
too much to say that the whole conception of the marriage relation in Islam is charged
with spiritual and moral ideas, and must of necessity elevate the status of matrimonial
alliance in the individual and social life.

In Islam the union of the sexes has been purified and the
joy of the married relation secured by the absolute prohibition of every kind of
extra-matzimonial connection. The Holy Qur'an stresses upon the people to marry as it is
the most effective means whereby one can lead a virtuous life free from immorality and
emotional inhibition. The Holy Qur'an says:" They (your wives) are as a garment to
you, and you are as a garment to them" (ii. 187). The mutual relation of husband and
wife is here described in words which could not be surpassed in beauty. Herein is the
correct description of the relationship between the two. The husband and the wife are for
mutual support, mutual comfort and mutual protection, fitting into each other as garments
fit into each other.

Then the Holy Qur'an also makes it clear that this union is
not a temporary relationship between two individuals of opposite sexes: It is a permanent
and enduring relationship in the sense that both the parties should put in their earnest
endeavours to lead their lives in perfect harmony and acquitting themselves creditably of
the responsibilities saddled upon them by entering into this sacred contract.

The Holy Qur'an farther points out that sexual
gratification in the married life is not meant only for the satisfaction of the physical
lust, but it mustbe directed to some higher ends." Your women are tilth for you, so
go into your tilth as ye like, and provide beforehand for your souls, and fear Allah and
know that you are going to meet Him" (iii. 223). Here the wives are likened to the
cultivable land which are ploughed for sowing and reaping the produce (in the form of
offspring) and not merely for carnal indulgence. The concluding part of the verse refers
to still higher and sublimer ends which tell that even in the height of carnal pleasures
the moral and spiritual responsibilities should not in any way be lost sight of; rather
one should be more conscious to them when one is enjoying physical pleasures as these are
the moments when the fear of the Lord and the accountability in the Hereafter is likely to
be blurred or effaced from one's mind.

'Alqama reported: While I was walking with 'Abdullah at
Mina, 'Uthman happened to meet him. He stopped there and began to talk with him. Uthman
said to him: Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, should we not marry you to a young girl who may recall to
you some of the past of your bygone days; thereupon he said: If you say so, Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 0 young men, those among you who can support a
wife should marry, for it restrains eyes from casting (evil glances). and preserves one
from immorality; but those who cannot should devote themselves to fasting for it is a
means of controlling sexual desire.

'Alqama reported: While I was going along with 'Abdullah b.
Ma'sud (Allah he pleased with him) in Mina, 'Uthman b. 'Affan (Allah be pleased with him)
happened to meet him and said: Come here, Abu 'Abd al-Rahman (kunya of Abdullah b.
Mas'ud), and he isolated him (from me), and when 'Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) saw that there was
no need (for this privacy), he said to me: 'Alqama, come on, and so I went there. (Then)
'Uthman said to him: Abu Abd al-Rahman, should we not marry you to a virgin girl that your
past may be recalled to your mind? 'Abdullah said: If you say so, the rest of the hadith
is the same as narrated above.

Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to us: 0 young men, those among you
who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes (from casting evil glances) and
preserves one from immorality; but he who cannot afford It should observe fast for it is a
means of controlling the sexual desire.

Abu al-Rahman b. Yazid said: I and my uncle 'Alqama and
al-Aswad went to 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud (Allah be pleased with him). He (the narrator
further) said: I was at that time young, and he narrated a hadith which it seemed he
narrated for me that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said like one transmitted
by Mu'awiya, and further added: I lost no time in marrying.

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that some of the
Companions of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) asked his (the Prophet's) wives
about the acts that he performed in private. Someone among them (among his Companions)
said: I will not marry women; someone among them said: I will not eat meat; and someone
among them said: I will not lie down in bed. He (the Holy Prophet) praised Allah and
glorified Him, and said: What has happened to these people that they say so and so,
whereas I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry
women also? And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with Me

Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas (Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messengger of Allah (may peace be upon him) rejected (the idea) of Uthman b.
Muz'unliving in celibacy (saying): And if he (the Holy Prophet) had given me permission We
would have got ourselves castrated.

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib reported: I heard Sa'd (b. Abi Waqqas)
saying that the idea of 'Uthman b. Maz'un for living in celibacy was rejected (by the Holy
Prophet), and if he had been given permission they would have got themselves castrated.

Sa'id b. al Musayyib heard Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas (Allah be
pleased with him) saying that Uthman b. Maz'un decided to live in celibacy, but Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade him to do so, and if he had permitted him, we
would have got ourselves castrated.

Chapter 2: HE WHO SEES A WOMAN, AND HIS HEART IS
AFFECTED, SHOULD COME TO HIS WIFE, AND SHOULD HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH HER

Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) saw a woman, and so he came to his wife, Zainab, as she was tanning a leather and had
sexual intercourse with her. He then went to his Companions and told them: The woman
advances and retires in the shape of a devil, so when one of you sees a woman, he should
come to his wife, for that will repel what he feels in his heart.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace
be upon him) saw a woman; and the rest of the hadith was narrated but (with this
exception) that he said he came to his wife Zainab, who was tanning a (piece of) leather,
and he made no mention of:" She retires in the shape of satan."

Jabir heard Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) say:
When a woman fascinates any one of you and she captivates his heart, he should go to his
wife and have an intercourse with her, for it would repel what he feels.

Chapter 3: TEMPORARY MARRIAGE AND ITS PROHIBITION
FOR ALL TIMES TO COME

Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported: We were on an expedition
with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and we had no women with us. We said:
Should we not have ourselves castrated? He (the Holy Prophet) forbade us to do so He then
granted us permission that we should contract temporary marriage for a stipulated period
giving her a garment, and 'Abdullah then recited this verse: 'Those who believe do not
make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress.
Allah does not like trangressers" (al-Qur'an, v. 87).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Isma'il
with the same chain of transmitters (and the words are):" We were young, so we said:
Allah's Messenger, should we not have ourselves castrated? But he (the narrator) did not
say; We were on an expedition."

Jabir b. 'Abdullah and Salama b. al-Akwa' said: There came
to us the proclaimer of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) has granted you permission to benefit yourselves, i. e.
to contract temporary marriage with women.

Ibn Uraij reported: 'Ati' reported that jibir b. Abdullah
came to perform 'Umra, and we came to his abode, and the people asked him about different
things, and then they made a mention of temporary marriage, whereupon he said: Yes, we had
been benefiting ourselves by this temporary marriage during the lifetime of theHoly
Prophet (may peace be upon him) and during the tinie of Abi! Bakr and 'Umar.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: We contracted temporary
marriage giving a handful of (tales or flour as a dower during the lifetime of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) and durnig the time of Abu Bakr until 'Umar forbade it
in the case of 'Amr b. Huraith.

Abu Nadra reported: While I was in the company of Jabir b.
Abdullah, a person came to him and said that Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Zubair differed on the two
types of Mut'as (Tamattu' of Hajj 1846 and Tamattu' with women), whereupon Jabir said: We
used to do these two during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).
Umar then forbade us to do them, and so we did not revert to them.

Iyas b. Salama reported on the authority of his father that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) gave sanction for contracting temporary marriage
for three nights in the year of Autas 1847 and then forbade it.

Sabra Juhanni reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) permitted temporary marriage for us. So I and another person went out and saw a
woman of Bana 'Amir, who was like a young long-necked she-camel. We presented ourselves to
her (for contracting temporary marriage), whereupon she said: What dower would you give
me? I said: My cloak. And my companion also said: My cloak. And the cloak of-my companion
was superior to my cloak, but I was younger than he. So when she looked at the cloak of my
companion she liked it, and when she cast a glance at me I looked more attractive to her.
She then said: Well, you and your cloak are sufficient for me. I remained with her for
three nights, and then Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: He who has any such
woman with whom he had contracted temporary marriage, he should let her off.

Rabi' b. Sabra reported that his father went on an
expedition with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) during the Victory of Mecca, and
we stayed there for fifteen days (i. e. for thirteen full days and a day and a night), and
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) permitted us to contract temporary marriage with
women. So I and another person of my tribe went out, and I was more handsome than he,
whereas he was almost ugly. Each one of us had a cloaks, My cloak was worn out, whereas
the cloak of my cousin was quite new. As we reached the lower or the upper side of Mecca,
we came across a young woman like a young smart long-necked she-camel. We said: Is it
possible that one of us may contract temporary marriage with you? She said: What will you
give me as a dower? Each one of us spread his cloak. She began to cast a glance on both
the persons. My companion also looked at her when she was casting a glance at her side and
he said: This cloak of his is worn out, whereas my cloak is quite new. She, however, said
twice or thrice: There is no harm in (accepting) this cloak (the old one). So I contracted
temporary marriage with her, and I did not come out (of this) until Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) declared it forbidden.

Rabi' b. S'abra al-jahanni reported on the authority of his
father. We went with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to Mecca during the year of
Victory and he narrated like this a hadith transmitted by Bishr (the previous one) but
with this addition:" She said: Can it be possible?" And it is also mentioned in
it:" He said: The cloak of this (man) is old and worn out."

Sabra al-Juhanni reported on the authority of his father
that while he was with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon hm) he said: 0 people, I had
permitted you to contract temporary marriage with women, but Allah has forbidden it (now)
until the Day of Resurrection. So he who has any (woman with this type of marriage
contract) he should let her off, and do not take back anything you have given to then (as
dower).

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Abd
al-'Aziz b 'Umar with the same chain of transmitters, and he said: I saw Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) standing between the pillar and the gate (of the Ka'ba) and he was
relating a hadith as narrated by Ibn Numair.

'Abd al-Malik b. Rabi' b. Sabraal-Juhanni reported on the
authority of his father who narrated it on the authority of his father (i e. 'Abd
al-Malik's grandfather, Sabura al-juhanni): Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
permitted us to contract temporary marriage in the Year of Victory, as we entered Mecce,
and we did come out of it but he forbade us to do it.

Sabra b. Ma'bad reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) permitted his Companions to contract temporary marriage with women in the Year
of Victory. So I and a friend of mine from Banu Sulaim went out, until we found a young
woman of Banu Amir who was like a young she-camel having a long neck. We made proposal to
her for contracting temporary marriage with us, and presented to her our cloaks (as
dower). She began to look and found me more handsome than my friend, but found the cloak
of my friend more beautiful than my cloak. She thought in her wind for a while, but then
preferred me to my friend. So I remained with her for three (nights), and then Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded us to part with them (such women).

Rabi' b. Sabra reported on the authority of his father that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade on the Day of Victory to contract
temporary marriage with women. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Rabi' b.
Sabra that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade to contracf temporary
marriage with women at the time of Victory, and that his father had contracted the
marriage for two red cloaks.

'Urwa b. Zabair reported that 'Abdullah b. Zubair (Allah be
pleased with him) stood up (and delivered an address) in Mecca saying: Allah has made
blind the hearts of some people as He has deprived them of eyesight that they give
religious verdict in favour of temporary marriage, while he was alluding to a person (Ibn
'Abbas). Ibn Abbas called him and said: You are an uncouth person, devoid of sense. By my
life, Mut'a was practised during the lifetime of the leader of the pious (he meant Allah's
Messenger, may peace be upon him), and Ibn Zubair said to him: just do it yourselves, and
by Allah, if you do that I will stone you with your stones. Ibn Shihab said. Khalid b.
Muhajir b. Saifullah informed me: While I was sitting in the company of a person, a person
came to him and he asked for a religious verdict about Mut'a and he permitted him to do
it. Ibn Abu 'Amrah al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Be gentle. It was
permitted in- the early days of Islam, (for one) who was driven to it under the stress of
necessity just as (the eating of) carrion and the blood and flesh of swine and then Allah
intensified (the commands of) His religion and prohibited it (altogether). Ibn Shihab
reported: Rabi' b. Sabra told me that his father (Sabra) said: I contracted temporary
marriage with a woman of Banu 'Amir for two cloaks during the lifetime of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) ; then he forbade us to do Mut'a. Ibn Shihab said: I
heard Rabi' b. Sabra narrating it to Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz and I was sitting there.

Sabra al-Juhanni reported on the authority of his father:
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) prohibited the contracting of temporary marriage
and said: Behold, it is forbidden from this very day of yours to the Day of Resurrection,
and he who has given something (as a dower) should not take it back.

'Ali b. AbiTalib reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) prohibited on the Day of Khaibar the contracting of temporary marriage with
women and the eating of the flesh of domestic asses.

Malik narrated this hadith on the authority of the same
chain of trans- witters that 'Ali b. Abil Talib said to a person: You are a person led
astray; Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade us (to do Mut'a), as is stated
In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Yahya b. Malik.

Muhammad b. 'Ali narrated on the authority of his father
'Ali that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) on the Day of Khaibar prohibited for
ever the contracting of temporary marriage and eating of the flesh of the domestic asses.

'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) heard that Ibn Abbas
(Allah be pleased with them) gave some relaxation in connection with the contracting of
temporary marriage, whereupon he said: Don't be hasty (in your religious verdict), Ibn
'Abbas, for Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) on the Day of Khaibar prohibited for
ever the doing of it-And eating of the flesh of domestic asses.

'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said to Ibn 'Abbas (Allah
be pleased with them) that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) on the Day of Khaibar
forbade forever the contracting of temporary marriage and the eating of the flesh of
domestic asses.

Chapter 4: IT IS FORBIDDEN TO COMBINE A WOMAN AND
HER FATHER'S SISTER, OR A WOMAN AND HER MOTHER'S SISTER TOGETHER IN MARRIAGE

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace upon him) having said this: One should not combine a woman and her
father's sister, nor a woman and her mother's sister in marriage.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade combining of four women in marriage: a
woman with her tather's sister, and a woman with her mother's sister.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: Father's sister should not be combined with
her brother's daughter, nor the daughter of a sister with her mother's sister.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade a person to combine in marriage a
womanarid her father's sister, and a woman and her mother's sister. Ibn Shihab said: So we
regarded the paternal aunt of her (wife's) father and the maternal aunt of her (wife's)
father at the same level.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: A man must not make proposal of marriage to a
woman when his brother has done so already. And he must not offer a price for a thing for
which his brother had already offered a price; and a woman must not be combined in
marriage with her father's sister, nor with her mother's sister, and a woman must not ask
to have her sister divorced in order to deprive her of what belongs to her, but she must
marry, because she will have what Allah has decreed for her.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) forbade the combining of a woman in marriage
with her father's sister, or with her mother's sister, or that a woman should ask for
divorce for her sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her. Allah, the
Exalted'and Majestic, is her Sustainer too.

Nubaih b. Wahb reported that 'Umar b. Ubaidullah intended
to marry Talha b. 'Umar with the daughter of Shaiba b. Jubair; so he sent a messenger to
Aban b. Uthman to attend the marriage, and he was at that time the Amir of Hajj. Aban
said: I heard 'Uthman b. 'Affan say that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had
stated: A Muhrim must neither marry himself, nor arrange the marriage of another one, nor
should he make the proposal of marriage.

Nubaih b. Wahb reported: Umar b. Ubaidullah b. Ma'mar sent
me to Aban b. Uthman as he wanted to make the proposal of the marriage of his son with the
daughter of Shaiba b. Uthman. He (Aban b. Uthman) was at that time (busy) in the season of
Pilgrimage. He said: I deem him to be a man of the desert (for it is a common thing) that
a Muhrim can neither marry, nor is he allowed to be married to anyone. It is Uthman (b.
Affan) who reported this to us from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him).

Uthman b. 'Affan reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) had said: A Muhrim should neither marry himself, nor should he be got married
to anyone, nor should he make the proposal of marriage.

Nabaih b. Wahb reported that Umar b. 'Ubaidullah b. Ma'mar
intended to marry his son Talha with the daughter of Shaiba b. Jubair during the
Pilgrimage. Aban b. Uthman was at that time the Amir of Pilgrims. So he ('Umar b.
Ubaidullah) sent someone (as a messenger) to Aban saying: I intend to marry Talha b. 'Umar
and I earnestly desire you to be present there (in this ceremony of marriage). Aban said
to him: I find you a block-headed 'Iraqi. I heard 'Uthman b. 'Affan say that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: A Muhrim should not marry.

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported that
Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married Maimulna in the state of Ihram. Ibn Numair
made this addition:" I narrated it to Zuhri and he said: Yazid b. al-Asamm (Allah be
pleased with him) told me that he (the Holy Prophet) married her when he was not a
muhrim."

Yazid b. al-Asamm reported: Maimuna daughter of al-Harith
narrated to me that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) married her and he was not
in the state of Ihram. And she (Maimuna) was my mother's sister and that of Ibn 'Abbas
(Allah be pleased with them).

Chapter 6: PROHIBITION OF ONE" S MAKING THE
PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE WHEN IT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE BY ONE'S BROTHER UNTIL HE PERMITS OR
GIVES HER UP

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as having said this: None amongst you should outbid
another in a transaction, nor should he make proposals of marriage upon the proposal made
by someone else.

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as having said this: A person should not enter into a
transaction when his brother (had already entered into but not finalised), and he should
not make proposal of marriage upon the proposal already made by his brother, until he
permits it.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as having forbidden a dweller of the town selling the
merchandise of a villager or outbidding in a sale (in order that another might fall into a
snare), or a person making the proposal of marriage when his brother has already made such
a proposal, or entering into a transaction when his brother has already entered; and a
woman asking the divorce of her sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her.
'Amr made this addition:" The person should not purchase in opposition to his
brother."

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as having said this: Do not outbid in a sale in order to
ensnare. No man should enter into a transaction in which his brother has already entered,
and no dweller of the town should sell on behalf of the villager. And no man should make a
proposal of marriage which his brother has already made and no woman should ask for the
divorce of another (co-wife) in order to deprive her of what belongs to her.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The Muslim should not purchase in opposition
to his brother, and he should not make the proposal of marriage on the proposal already
made by his brother.

'Uqba b. 'Amir said on the pulpit that Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) said: A believer is the brother of a believer, so it is not lawful
for a believer to outbid his brother, and he should not propose an engagement when his
brother has thus proposed until he gives it up.

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) said that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) prohibited Shighar which means that a man gives his
daughter in marriage on the condition that the other gives his daughter to him in marriage
with- out any dower being paid by either.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) prohibited Shighar. Ibn Numair added: Shighar
means that a person should say to the other person: Give me the hand of your daughter in
marriage and I will (in return) marry my daughter to you; or merry me your sister, and I
will marry my sister to you.

'Uqba b. Amir (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The most worthy condition which must be
fulfilled is that which makes sexual intercourse lawful. In the narration transmitted by
Ibn Muthanna (instead of the word" condition" ) it is" conditions".

Chapter 9: SEEKING CONSENT OF AL-THAYYIBIN MARRIAGE
IN WORDS AND OF A VIRGIN IN (MEANINGFUL) SILENCE

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as having said: A woman without a husband (or divorced
or a widow) must not be married until she is consulted, and a virgin must not be married
until her permission is sought. They asked the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him):
How her (virgin's) consent can be solicited? He (the Holy Prophet) said: That she keeps
silence.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: I asked
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) about a virgin whose marriage is solemnised by
her guardian, whether it was necessary or not to consult her. Allah's Messerger (may peace
be upon him) said: Yes, she must be consulted. 'A'isha reported: I told him that she feels
shy, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Her silence implies her
consent.

Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: A woman without a husband has wore right to her
person than her guardian, and a virgin's consent must be asked from her, and her silence
implies her consent.

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A woman who has been previously married
(Thayyib) has more right to her person than her guardian. And a virgin should also be
consulted, and her silence implies her consent.

Sufyan reported on the basis of the same chain of
transmitters (and the words are): A woman who has been previously married (Thayyib) has
more right to her person than her guardian; and a virgin's father must ask her consent
from her, her consent being her silence, At times he said: Her silence is her affirmation.

Chapter 10: IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR THE FATHER TO
GIVE THE HAND OF HIS DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE EVEN WHEN SHE IS NOT FULLY GROWN UP

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted
to his house at the age of nine. She further said: We went to Medina and I had an attack
of fever for a month, and my hair had come down to the earlobes. Umm Ruman (my mother)
came to me and I was at that time on a swing along with my playmates. She called me loudly
and I went to her and I did not know what she had wanted of me. She took hold of my hand
and took me to the door, and I was saying: Ha, ha (as if I was gasping), until the
agitation of my heart was over. She took me to a house, where had gathered the women of
the Ansar. They all blessed me and wished me good luck and said: May you have share in
good. She (my mother) entrusted me to them. They washed my head and embellished me and
nothing frightened me. Allah's Messenger (, may peace be upon him) came there in the
morning, and I was entrusted to him.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) married her when she was seven years old, and he was taken
to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he (the
Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old.

Chapter 11: EXCELLENCE OF MARRYING OR BEING MARRIED
DURING THE MONTH OF SHAWWAL AND EXCELLENCE OF TAKING BRIDE IN THE HOUSE DURING THIS MONTH

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) contracted marriage with me in Shawwal and took me to
his house as a bride during Shawwal. And who among the wives of Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) was dearer to him than I, and' A'isha liked that the women (of her
family) should enter the houses as brides during the month of Shawwal.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was in
the company of Allah's Messenger (way peace be upan him) when there came a man and
informed him that he had contracted to marry a woman of the Ansar. Thereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Did you cast a glance at her? He said: No. He
said: Go and cast a glance at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansar.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man
came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: I have contracted marriage
with a woman of the Ansar, whereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Did you
cast a glance at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansar? He said: I did cast
a glance at her, whereupon he said: For what (dower) did you marry her? He said: For four
'uqiyas. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: For four 'uqiyas; it
seems as if you dig out silver from the side of this mountain (and that is why you are
prepared to pay such a large amount of dower). We have nothing which we should give you.
There is a possibility that we may send you to an (expedition) where you may get (booty).
So he sent that man (in the expedition) which was despatched to Banu 'Abs.

Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi (Allah be pleased with him)
reported: A woman came to Allah's Messenger. (may peace be upon him) and said: Messerbger
of Allah, I have come to you to entrust myself to you (you may contract my marriage with
anyone at your discretion). Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw her and cast a
glance at her from head to foot. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) then lowered
his head. When the woman saw that he had made no decision in regard to her, she sat down.
There stood up a person from amongst his companions and said: Messenger of Allah, marry
her to me if you have no need of her. He (the Holy Prophet) said: is there anything with
you (which you con give as a dower)? He said: No, Messenger of Allah, by Allah I have
nothing. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Go to your people
(family) and see if you can find something. He returned and said: I have found nothing.
The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: See even if it is an Iron ring. He went
and returned and said: No, by God, not even an iron ring, but only this lower garment of
mine (Sahl said that he had no upper garment), half of which (I am prepared to part with)
for her. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: How can your lower
garment serve your purpose, for it you wear it, she would not be able to make any use of
it and if she wears it there would not be anything on you? The man sat down and as the
sitting prolonged he stood up (in disappointment) and as he was going back Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded (him) to be called back, and as he came, he
said to him: Do you know any part of the Qur'an? He said: I know such and such surahs (and
he counted them). whereupon he said: Can you recite them from heart (from your memory)? He
said: Yes, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) said: Go, I have given her to you in marriage
for the part of the Qur'an which you know.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sahl b.
Sa'd with a minor alteration of words, but the hadith transmitted through Za'idah (the
words are that the Holy Prophet) said: Go, I have married her to you, and you teach her
something of the Qur'an.

Abu Salama b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported: I asked 'A'isha, the
wife of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him): What is the amount of dower of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him)? She said: It was twelve 'uqiyas and one nash. She said:
Do you know what is al-nash? I said: No. She said: It is half of uqiya, and it amounts to
five hundred dirhams, and that was the dower given by Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) to his wives.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) saw the trace of yellowness on 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf and said: What is this?
Thereupon he said: Allah's Messenger, I have married a woman for a date-stone's weight of
gold. He said: God bless you! Hold a wedding feast, even if only with a sheep.

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleasedwith him) reported that 'Abd
al-Rahman b. 'Auf (Allah be pleased with him) married during the lifetime of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) for a nawat weight of gold and the messenger of Allah
(may peace be upon him) said to him: Give a feast even with a sheep.

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf (Allah be pleased with him) married a woman for a date-stone's
weight of gold and Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to him: Hold a wedding
feast, even if only with a sheep.

Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw the signs of the happiness of wedding
in me, and I said: I have married a woman of the Ansar. He said: How much Mahr have you
paid? I said: For a date-stone weight of gold. And in the hadith transmitted by Ishaq (it
is): (nawat weight) of gold.

Anas b. Malik reported that 'Abd al-Rahman married a woman
for a datestone weight of gold. Shu'ba has narrattd this hadith with the same chain of
transmitters except for (this alteration) that he said that a person from among the sons
of 'Abd al Rahman said:" from gold".

Chapter 14: EXCELLENCE OF EXMANCIPATING A
SLAVE-GIRL AND THEN MARRYING HER

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) set out on an expedition to Khaibar and we observed our
morning prayer in early hours of the dawn. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him)
then mounted and so did Abu Talha ride, and I was seating myself behind Abu Talha. Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) moved in the narrow street of Khaibar (and we rode so
close to each other in the street) that my knee touched the leg of Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him). (A part of the) lower garment of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him) slipped from his leg and I could see the whiteness of the leg of Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him). As he entered the habitation he called: Allah-o-Akbar (Allah is the
Greatest). Khaibar is ruined. And when we get down in the valley of a people evil is the
morning of the warned ones. He repeated it thrice. In the meanwhile the people went out
for their work, and said: By Allah, Muhammad (has come). Abd al-'Aziz or some of our com-
panions said: Muhammad and the army (have come). He said: We took it (the territory of
Khaibar) by force, and there were gathered the prisoners of war. There came Dihya and he
said: Messenger of Allah, bestow upon me a girl ont of the prisones. He said: Go and get
any girl. He made a choice for Safiyya daughter of Huyayy (b. Akhtab). There came a person
to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Apostle of Allah, you have bestowed
Safiyya bint Huyayy, the chief of Quraiza and al-Nadir, upon Dihya and she is worthy of
you only. He said: Call him along with her. So he came along with her. When Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) saw her he said: Take any other woman from among the
prisoners. He (the narrator) said: He (the Holy Prophet) then granted her emancipation and
married her. Thabit said to him: Abu Hamza, how much dower did he (the Holy Prophet) give
to her? He said: He granted her freedom and then married her. On the way Umm Sulaim
embellished her and then sent her to him (the Holy Prophet) at night. Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him) appeared as a bridegroom in the morning. He (the Holy Prophet) said: He
who has anything (to eat) should bring that. Then the cloth was spread. A person came with
cheese, another came with dates, and still another came with refined butter, and they
prepared hais and that was the wedding feast of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)

This hadith has been narrated through another chain of
transmitters on the authority of Anas that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him)
emancipated Safiyya, and her emancipation was treated as her wedding gift, and in the
hadith transmitted by Mu'adh on the authority of his father (the words are):" He (the
Holy Prophet) married Safiyya and bestowed her emancipation as her wedding gift."

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was sitting
behind Abu Talha on the Day of Khaibar and my feet touched the foot of Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him), and we came (to the people of Khaibar) when the sun had risen and
they had driven out their cattle, and had themselves come out with their axes, large
baskets and hatchets, and they said: (Here come) Muhammad and the army. Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) said: Khaibar is ruined. Verily when we get down in the valley of
a people, evil is the morning of the warned ones (al-Qur'an, xxxvii. 177). Allah, the
Majestic and the Glorious, defeated them (the inhabitants of Khaibar), and there fell to
the lot of Dihya a beautiful girl, and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) got her
in exchange of seven heads, and then entrusted her to Umm Sulaim so that she might
embellish her and prepare her (for marriage) with him. He (the narrator) said: He had been
under the impression that he had said that so that she might spend her period of 'Iddah in
her (Umm Sulaim's) house. (The woman) was Safiyya daughter of Huyayy. Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) arranged the wedding feast consisting of dates, cheese, and
refined butter, and pits were dug and tiers were set in them dining cloths, and there was
brought cheese and refined butter, and these were placed there. And the people ate to
their fill, and they said: We do not know whether he (the Holy Prophet) had married her
(as a free woman), or as a slave woman. They said: If he (the Holy Prophet) would make her
wear the veil, then she would be a (free married) woman, and if he would not make her wear
the veil, then she should be a slave woman. When he intended to ride, he made her wear the
veil and she sat on the hind part of the camel; so they came to know that he had married
her. As they approached Medina, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) drove (his ride)
quickly and so we did. 'Adba' (the name of Allah's Apostle's camel) stumbled and Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) fell down and she (Radrat Safiyya: also fell down. He
(the Holy Prophet) stood up and covered her. woman looked towards her and said: May Allah
keep away the Jewess! He (the narrator) said: I said: Aba Hamza, did Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) really fall down? He said: Yes, by Allah, he in fact fell down.
Anas said: I also saw the wedding feast of Zainab, and he (the Holy Prophet) served bread
and meat to the people, and made them eat to their heart's content, and he (the Holy
Prophet) sent me to call people, and as he was free (from the ceremony) he stood up and I
followed him. Two persons were left and they were busy in talking and did not get out (of
the apartment). He (the Holy Prophet) then proceeded towards (the apartments of) his
wives. He greeted with as-Salamu 'alaikum to every one of them and said: Members of the
household, how are you? They said: Messenger of Allah, we are in good state 'How do you
find your family? He would say: In good state. When he was free from (this work of
exchanging greetings) he came back, and I also came back along with him. And as he reached
the door, (he found) that the two men were still busy in talking. And when they saw him
having returned, they stood up and went out; and by Allah! I do not know whether I had
informed him, or there was a revelation to him (to the affect) that they had gone. He (the
Holy Prophet) then came back and I also returned along with him, and as he put his step on
the threshold of his door he hung a curtain between me and him, and (it was on this
occasion) that Allah revealed this verse: (" O you who believe), do not enter the
houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to 'you" (xxxiii. 53).

Anas, (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Safiyya (Allah
be pleased with her) fell to the lot of Dihya in the spoils of war, and they praised her
in the presence of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: We have not seen
the like of her among the captives of war. He sent (a messenger) to Dihya and he gave him
whatever he demanded. He then sent her to my mother and asked her to embellish her.
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) then got out of Khaibar until when he was on the
other side of it, he halted, and a tent was pitched for him. When it was morning Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: He who has surplus of provision with him should
bring that to us. Some persons would bring the surplus of dates, and the other surplus of
mush of barley until there became a heap of bals. They began to eat the hais and began to
drink out of the pond which had the water of rainfall in it and which was situated by
their side. Anas said that that constituted the wedding feast of Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him). He (further) said: We proceeded until we saw the walls of Medina, and
we were delighted. We made our mounts run quickly and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) also made his mount run quickly. And Safiyya (Allah be pleased with her) was at his
back, and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had seated her behind him. The camel
of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stumbled and he (the Holy Prophet) fell down
and she also fell down. And none among the people was seeing him and her, until Allah's
Messeuger (may peace be upon him) stood up and he covered her, and we came to him and he
said: We have received no injury. We entered Medina and there came out the young ladies of
the household. They saw her (hadrat Safiyya) and blamed her for falling down.

Chapter 15: PERTAINING TO THE MARRIAGE OF ZAINAB
BINT JAHSH WITH THE HOLY PROPHET (MAY PEACE BE UPON HIM) AND VERSES PERTAINING TO PURDAH
(VEIL)

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the 'Iddah
of Zainab was over, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to Zaid to make a
mention to her about him. Zaid went on until he came to her and she was fermenting her
flour. He (Zaid) said: As I saw her I felt in my heart an idea of her greatness so much so
that I could not see towards her (simply for the fact) that Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) had made a mention of her. So I turned my back towards her. and I turned upon
my heels, and said: Zainab, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) has sent (me) with a
message to you. She said: I do not do anything until I solicit the will of my Lord. So she
stood at her place of worship and the (verse of) the Qur'an (pertaining to her marriage)
were revealed, and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to her without
permission. He (the narrator) said: I saw that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
served us bread and meat until it was broad day light and the people went away, but some
persons who were busy in con- versation stayed on in the house after the meal. Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) also went out and I also followed him, and he began to
visit the apartments of his wives greeting them (with the words): As-Salamu 'alaikum, and
they would say: Allah's Messenger, how did you find your family (hadrat Zainab)? He (the
narrator) stated: I do not know whether I had informed him that the people had gone out or
he (the Holy Prophet) informed me (about that). He moved on until he entered the
apartment, and I also went and wanted to enter (the apartment) along with him, but he
threw a curtain between me and him, as (the verfes pertaining to seclusion) had been
revealed, and people were instructed in what they had been instructed. Ibn Rafii had made
this addition in his narration:" O you who believe, enter not the houses of the
Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being
finished..." to the words"... Allah forbears not from the truth."

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I did not see
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) giving a wedding feast (on the marriage) of any
one (of his wives) as he did in the case of (his marriage with) Zainab, for then he
sacrificed a goat (on this occasion).

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) gave no better wedding feast than the one he did (on the
occasion of his marriage with) Zainab. Thabit al-Bunani (one of the narrators) said: What
did he serve in the wedding feast? He (Anas) said: He fed them bread and meat (so
lavishly) that they (the guests) abandoned it (of their own accord after having taken them
to their hearts' content).

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reported: When
Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married Zainab bint jahsh, he invited people (to
the wedding feast) and they ate food. They then sat there and entered into conversation.
He (the Holy Prophet) made a stir as if he was preparing to stand up, but (the persons
busy in talking) did not stand up. When he (the Holy Prophet) saw it, he stood up and when
he did so, some other persons stood up. 'Asim and Abd al-A'la in their narrations made
this addition: Three (persons) sat there, and Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) came
there to enter (the apartment) but he found the people sitting there. Then they stood up
and went away. He said: Then I came and informed Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him)
that they had gone away. He (the Holy Prophet) then came there until he entered (the
apartment). I also went and was about to enter, when he hung a curtain between me and him
(and it was on this occasion that) Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, revealed this
verse:" O you who believe, enter not the houses of the Prophet unless permission is
given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished to the (words)"
Surely this is serious in the sight of Allah" (xxxiii. 53).

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was
the best informed among the people pertaining to Hijab (veil and seclusion). Ubayy b. Ka'b
used to ask me about it. Anas (Allah be pleased with him) thus narrated: The Messenger of
Allah (may peace be upon him) got up in the morning as a bridegroom of Zainab bint jahsh
(Allah be pleased witt her) as he had married her at Medina. He invited people to the
wedding feast after the day had well risen. There sat Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) and there kept sitting along with him some persons after the people had stood up (for
departure) ; then Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up and walked on and I
also walked along with him until he reached the door of the apartment of 'A'isha (Allah be
pleased with her). He then thought that they (those who had been sitting there after meal)
had gone away. So he returned and I also returned with him, but they were still sitting at
their places. So he returned for the second time and I also returned until he reached the
apartment of 'A'isha. He again returned and I also returned and they had (by that time)
stood up, and he hung a curtain between me and him (at the door of the apartment of Hadrat
Zainab, where he had to stay), and Allah revealed the verse pertaining to veil.

Anas b. Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) contracted marriage and he went to his wife. My mother
Umm Sulaim prepared hais and placed it in an earthen vessel and said: Anas, take it to
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and say: My mother has sent that to you and she
offers greetings to you, and says that it is a humble gift for you on our behalf,
Messenger of Allah. So I went along with it to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
and said: My mother offers you salutations, and says that it is a humble gift for you on
our behalf. He said: Place it here, and then said: Go and invite on my behalf so and so
and anyone whom you meet, and he even named some persons. He (Anas) said: I invited whom
he had named and whom I met. I (one of the narrators) said: I said to Anas: How many
(persons) were there? He (Anas) said: They were about three hundred persons. Then Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) (said to me): Anas, bring that earthen vessel. They (the
guests) then began to enter until the courtyard and the apartment were fully packed.
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Make a circle of ten (guests), and every
person should eat from that nearest to him. They began to eat, until they ate to their
fill. A group went out (after eating the food), and another group came in until all of
them had eaten. He (the Holy Prophet) said to me: Anas, lift it (the earthen vessel), so I
lifted it, but I could not assess whether it had more (food) when I placed it (before
Allah's Messenger) or when I lifted it (after the people had been served out of it). A
group among them (the guests) began to talk in the house of Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was sitting and his wife
had been sitting with her face turned towards the wall. It was troublesome for Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him), so Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) went out
and greeted his wives. He then returned. When they (the guests) saw that Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) had returned they thought that it (their overstay) was something
troublesome for him. He (the narrator) said: They hastened towards the door and all of
them went out. And there came Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and he hung a
curtain and went in, and I was sitting in his apartment and he did not stay but for a
short while. He then came to me and these verses were revealed. Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) came out and recited them to the people:" O you who believe, enter
not the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting
for its cooking being finished-but when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken
food, disperse not seeking to listen to talk. Surely this gives the Prophet trouble",
to the end of verse (xxxiii. 53). (Al-Ja'd said that Anas [b. Malik] stated: I am the
first amongst the people to hear these verses), and henceforth the wives of the Apostle
(may peace be upon him) began to observe seclusion (al-hijab).

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported: When Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) contracted marriage with Zainab (Allah be pleased with
bet), Umm Sulaim sent him hats in a vessel of stone as a gift. Anas stated that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: Go and invite on my behalf all the Muslims
whom you meet. So I invited on his behalf everyone whom I met. They entered (his house)
and they ate and went out. And Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had kept his hand
on the food, and he invoked blessing on that, and said whatever Allah wished him to say,
and none whom I met was left uninvited. They ate to their fill and went out, but a group
among them remained there and was engaged in lengthy discussion. Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him) felt shy of saying them anything. So he went out and left them in his
house and Allah the Great and Majestic revealed this verse:" 0 you who believe, enter
not the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting
for its cooking being finished." Qatada (instead of using the word Ghaira Nazirina)
used the word Ghaira Mutahayyinina (i. e. not waiting for the time of the food). But when
you are invited, enter..." up to this verse. This is purer for your hearts and their
hearts.

Chapter 16: WHEN ONE IS INVITED TO A WEDDING FEAST,
ONE SHOULD ACCEPT IT

Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: When any one of you is invited to a feast, he
should accept. 'Ubaidallah took this feast to be a wedding feast.

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: When any one of you invites his brother, he
(the latter) should accept his wedding feast, or any other like it.

Nafil reported: I heard Abdullah b. Umar (Allah be pleased
with them) narrating that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Accept the feast
when you are invited to it. And Abdullah (b. Umar) used to come to the feast, whether it
was a wedding feast or other than that, and he would come there even in the state of
fasting.

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's
Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: When any one of you is invited to a feast, he
should accept it. He may eat if he likes, or he may abandon (eating) if he likes. Ibn
Mathanni did not make mention of the word" feast".

Abu Haraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If any one of you is invited, he should
accept (the invitation). In case he is fasting, he should pray (in order to bless the
inmates of the house), and if he is not fasting he should eat.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) used to say: The
worst kind of food is the wedding feast to which the rich are invited and the poor are
ignored. He who does not come to the feast, he in fact disobeys Allah and His Messenger
(may peace be upon him).

Sufyan reported: I said to Zuhri: Abu Bakr, what does this
hadith mean:" The worst kind of food is at a wedding feast of the rich"? He
laughed and said: The food served in the feast given by the rich is not worst (in itself).
Sufyan said: My father was rich, so I felt disturbed when I heard this hadith, so I asked
Zuhri who said: I heard from 'Abd al-Rahman al-Alraj that he heard Abu Huraira (Allah he
pleased with him) say: The worst kind of food is that served at the wedding feast. The
rest of the hadith is the same.

Abu Haraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying. The worst kind of food is at the wedding feast
from which one who comes is turned away, and he who refuses it is invited, and he who did
not accept the invitation disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (may peace be upon him).

Chapter 17: IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE TO MARRY A WOMAN
WHO IS DIVORCED BY THREE PRONOUNCEMENTS UNTIL SHE IS MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN AND HE HAS A
SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HER, AND THEN HE ABANDONS HER AND SHE COMPLETES HER 'IDDA

'A'isha (Allah he pleased with her) reported: There came
the wife of Rifa'a to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: I was married to
Rifa'a but he divorced me, making may divorce irrevocable. Afterwards I married Abd
al-Rahman b. al-Zubair, but all he possesses is like the fringe of a garment (i. e. he is
sexually weak). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) smiled, and said: Do
you wish to return to Rifa'a. (You) cannot (do it) until you have tasted his sweetness and
he ('Abd al-Rahman) has tasted your sweetness. Abu Bakr was at that time near him (the
Holy Prophet) and Khalid (b. Sa'id) was at the door waiting for the permission to be
granted to him to enter), He (Khalid) said; Abu Bakr, do you hear what she is saying
loudly in the presence of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)?

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her), the wife of Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him), reported that Rifa'a al-Quraid (Allah be pleased with
him) divorced his wife, making her divorce irrevocable. Afterwards she married Abd
at-Rahman b. al-Zubair (Allah be pleased with him), She came to Allah'sApostle (may peace
be upon him and said to Allah's messenger (may peace be upon him) that she had been the
wife of Rifa'a (Allah be pleased with him) and he had divorced her by three pronouncements
and afterwards she married 'Abd al-Rahman b. al-Zubair. By Allah, all he possesses is like
the fringe of a garment, and she took hold of the fringe of her garment. Thereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) laughed and said: Perhaps you wish to return to Rifa'a,
(but you) cannot (do it) until he has tasted your sweetness and you have tasted his
sweetness. Abu Bakr al-siddiq (Allah be pleased with him) was sitting at that time with
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and Khalid b. Sa'id b. al-'As (Allah be pleased
with him) was sitting at the door of his apartment and he was not permitted to (enter the
room), and Kbalid called loudly saying: Abu Bakr, why don't you scold her for what she is
saying loudly in the presence of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)?

'A'isha (Allah bjpl'eased with her) reported that Rifa'a al
Qurazi divorced his wife and afterwards Abd al-Rahman b. al-Zubair married her. She came
to Allah's Apostle (may peace he upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, Rifa'a has
divorced me by three pronouncements. (The rest of the hadith is the same.)

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) was asked about a woman whom a man married and then
divorced her, and then she married (another) person, and she was divorced before sexual
intercourse with her, whether it was lawful for her first husband (to marry her in this
state). He (the Holy Prophet) said: No, until he has tasted her sweetness.

'A'Asha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: A person
divorced his wife by three pronouncements; then another person married her and he also
divorced her without having sexual intercourse with her. Then the first husband of her
intended to remarry her. It was about such a case that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) was asked, whereupon he said: No, until the second one has tasted her sweetness
as the first one had tasted.

Ibn" Abbas (Allah be pleased with thern) reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: If anyone amongst you intends to go to his
wife he should say: In the name of Allah,0 Allah protect us against Satan and keep away
the Satan from the one that you have bestowed upon us, and if He has ordained a male child
for them, Satan will never be able to do any harm to him.

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) declared that the Jews
used to say: When a man has intercourse with his wife through the vagina but being on her
back. the child will have squint, so the verse came down:" Your wives are your tilth;
go then unto your tilth as you may desire" (ii. 223)

Jabir (b. Abdullah) (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that the Jews used to say that when one comes to one's wife through the vagina, but being
on her back, and she becomes pregnant, the child has a squint. So the verse came
down:" Your wives are your ti'Ith; go then unto your tilth, as you may desire."

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Jabir
through another chain of transmitters, but in the hadith transmitted on the authority of
Zuhri there is an addition (of these words):" If he likes he may (have intercourse)
being on the back or in front of her, but it should be through one opening (vagina)."

Chapter 20: IT IS NOT PERMISSIBLE FOR A WOMAN TO
ABANDON THE BED OF HER HUSBAND

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: When a woman spends the night away from the
bed of her husband, the angels curse her until morning. This hadith has been narrated
through the same chain of transmitters (with a slight variation):" He said: Until she
comes back."

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, when a man
calls his wife to his bed, and she does not respond, the One Who is in the heaven is
displeased with her until he (her husband) is pleased with her.

Abu Huraira (Allah he pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may, peace be upon him) as saying: When a man invites his wife to his bed and
she does not come, and he (the husband) spends the sight being angry with her, the angels
curse her until morning.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah he pleased with him) reported
that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upoin him) said: The most wicked among the people in
the eye of Allah on the Day of judgment is the men who goes to his wife and she comes to
him, and then he divulges her secret.

Abu Sirma al-Khudri (Allah he pleased with him ) reported
Allah's Messen- ger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The most important of the trusts in
the sight of Allah on the Day of judgment is that a man goes to his wife and she goes to
him (and the breach of this trust is) that he should divulge her secret Ibn Numair
narrates this hadith with a slight change of wording.

Abu Sirma said to Abu Sa'id al Khadri (Allah he pleased
with him): 0 Abu Sa'id, did you hear Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) mentioning
al-'azl? He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) on the expedition to the Bi'l-Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women;
and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same
time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them
but by observing 'azl (Withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to
avoid-conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah's Messenger is amongst
us; why not ask him? So we asked Allah's Mes- senger (may peace be upon him), and he said:
It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of
Resurrection will be born.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of
Habban with the same chain of transmitters (but with this alteration) that he said:"
Allah has ordained whom he has to createuntil the Day of judgment."

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported:
We took women captives, and we wanted to do 'azl with them. We then asked Allah's Messen-
ger (may peace be upon him) about it, and he said to us: Verily you do it, verily you do
it, verily you do it, but the soul which has to be born until the Day of judg- ment must
be born.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) (was asked
if he had heard it himself), to which he said: Yes. (I heard) Allah's Apostle (may peace
be upon him) as saying: There is no harm if you do not practise it, for it (the birth of
the child) is something ordained (by Allah).

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) was asked about 'azl, whereupon he said:
There is no harm if you do not do that, for it (the birth of the child) is something
ordained. Muhammad (one of the narrators) said: (The words) La 'alaykum (there is no harm)
implies its Prohibition.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that mention was made of 'azl in the presence of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him)
whereupon he said: Why do you practise it? They said: There is a man whose wife has to
suckle the child, and if that person has a sexual intercourse with her (she may conceive)
which he does not like, and there is another person who has a slave-girl and he has a
sexual intercourse with her, but he does not like her to have conception so that she may
not become Umm Walad, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: There is no harm if you do not
do that, for that (the birth of the child) is something pre- ordained. Ibn 'Aun said: I
made a mention of this hadith to Hasan, and he said: By Allah, (it seems) as if there is
upbraiding in it (for 'azl).

Ibn 'Aun reported: I reported to Muhammad on the authority
of Ibrahim the hadith reported by 'Abd al-Rahmann b. Bishr (the hadith concerning 'azl),
where- upon he said: That (hadith) Abd al-Rahman b. Bishr had narrated to me (also).

Ma'bad b. Sirin said to Abu Sa'id (Allah be pleased with
him): Did you hear Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) making a mention of something
in regard to al-'azl? Thereupon he said: Yes. The rest (of the hadith is the same)

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Mention was made about al-'azl in the presence of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him), whereupon he said: Why any one of you practises it? (He did not say: One of you
should not do it), for there is no created soul, whose creator is not Allah.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was asked about 'azl, whereupon he said:
The child does not come from all the liquid (sermen) and when Allah intends to create
anything nothing can prevent it (from coming into existence).

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came
to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: I have a slave-girl who is our
servant and she carries water for us and I have intercourse with her, but I do not want
her to conceive. He said: Practise 'azl, if you so like, but what is decreed for her will
come to her. The person stayed back (for some time) and then came and said: The girl has
become pregnant, whereupon he said: I told you what was decreed for her would come to her.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported
that a person asked Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) saying: I have a slave-girl
and I practise 'azl with her, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said:
This cannot prevent that which Allah has decreed. The person then came (after some time)
and said: Messenger of Allah, the slave-girl about whom I talked to you has conceived,
whereupon Allah's Messeuger (may peace be upon him) said: I am the servant of Allah and
His Messenger.

Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported: We used to
practise 'azl during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). This (the
news of this practise) reached Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), and he did not
forbid us.

Chapter 23: IT IS FORBIDDEN TO HAVE INTERCOURSE
WITH A PREGNANT SLAVE-WOMAN

Abu Darda' (Allah be pleased with him) related from the
Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him) that he came upon a woman who was in the advanced
stage of pregnancy at the door of a tent. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Perhaps he (the man
accompanying her) intends to cohabit with her. They said: Yes. Thereupon Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) said: I have decided to curse him with such a curse as may go
along with him to his grave. How can he own him (the child to be born) and that is not
lawful for him, and how can he take him as a servant for that is not lawful for him?

Judaima daughter of Wahb al-Asadiyya (Allah be pleased with
her) reported that she heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) assaying: I
intended to prohibit cohabitation with a suckling woman until I considered that the Romans
and the Persians do it without any injury being caused to their children thereby. (Imam
Muslim said: Khalaf reported it from Judamat al-'Asadiyya, but the correct wording is what
has been stated by Yahya.)

Judama daughter of Wahb, sister of Ukkasha (Allah be
pleased with her). reported: I went to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) along
with some persons and he was saying: I intended to prohibit cohabitation with the suckling
women, but I considered the Greeks and Persians, and saw that they suckle their children
and this thing (cohabitation) does not do any harm to them (to the suckling women). Then
they asked him about 'azl, whereupon he said. That is the secret (way of) burying alive,
and Ubaidullah has made this addition in the hadith transmitted by al-Muqri and that
is:" When the one buried alive is asked."

Judama bint Wahb al-Asadiyya (Allah be pleased with her)
reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saying this. The rest of the
hadith is the same concerning 'azl and ghila (cohabitating with a suckling woman), but
with a slight variation of words.

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that a person came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: I do 'azi with
my wife. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Why do you do that? The
person said: I fear harm to her child or her children. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (way
peace be upon him) said: If that were harmful it would harm the Persians and the Greeks.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported tha Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) was with her and she heard the voice of a person seeking
permission to enter the house of Hafsa. 'A'isha (Allah he pleased with her) said: Allah's
Messenger, he is the person who seeks permission to enter your house, whereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I think he is so and so (uncle of Hafsa by reason
of fosterage). 'A'isha said: Messenger of Allah, if so and so (her uncle by reason of
fosterage) were alive, could he enter my house? Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
said: Yes. Fosterage makes unlawful what consanguinity makes unlawful.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Aflah,
the brother of Abu'l-Qu'ais, who was her uncle by reason of fosterage, came, and asked her
permission (to enter the house) after seclusicin was instituted. I refused to admit him.
When Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came, I Informed him what I had done. He
commanded me to grant him permission (as the brother of her foster-father was also her
uncle).

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: There came to
me Aflah b. Abu Qulais, my uncle by reason of fosterage; the rest of the hadith is the
same (but with this) addition:" I ('A'isha) said (to the Holy Prophet): It was the
woman who suckled me and not the man, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) said: May your
hands or your right hand be besmeared with dust (you were mistaken)."

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that there
came Aflah the brother, of Abu'l-Qu'ais, who sought her permission (to enter) after
seclusion was instituted, and AbuQu'ais was the father of 'A'isha by reason of fosterage.
'A'isha said: By Allah, I would not permit Aflah unless I have solicited the opinion of
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) for Abu Qulais has not suckled me, but his wife
has given me suck. 'A'isha' (Allah be pleased with her) said: When Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) entered, I said: Allah's Messenger, Aflah is the brother of
Abu'l-Qulais; he came to me to seek my permission for entering (the houst). I did not like
the idea of granting him permission until I had solicited your opinion. Thereupon Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Grant him permission. 'Urwa said it was on account
of this that 'A'isha used to say. What is unlawful by reason of consanguinity is unlawful
by reason of fosterage.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri
with the same chain of transmitters (that 'A'isha said): There came Aflah, the brother of
Abu'l Qulais (Allah be pleased with him), and sought permission from her, the rest of the
hadith is the same (except for the words that the Holy Prophet) said:" He is your
uncle. Let your hand be besmeared with dust. Abu'l Qulais was the husband of the woman who
had suckled 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her).

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: My foster
uncle came to me and sought permission (to enter the house), but I refused him permission
until I had solicited the opinion of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). When
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came, I said to him: My foster-uncle sought my
permission to (enter the house), but I did not permit him, whereupon Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) said: You better admit your uncle (into the house). I ('A'isha)
said: It was the woman who suckled me and not the man. (But he) said: He is your uncle,
admit him.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham
with the same chain of transmitters (and the words are):" The brother of Abu'l-Qu'ais
sought permission from her ('A'isha) (to enter the house). The rest is the same.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: My
foster-uncle Abu'l Ja'd (kunya of Aflah) sought permission from me, which I refused.
(Hisham said to me that Abu'l-Ja'd was in fact Abu'l-Qu'ais). When Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him) came, I ('A'isha) informed him about it. He said: Why did you not
permit him? Let your right hand or hand be besmeared with dust.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that her
foster-uncle whose name was Aflah sought permission from her (to enter the house) but she
observed seclusion from him, and informed Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) who
said to her: Don't observe veil from him for he is Mahram (one with whom marriage cannot
be contracted) on account of fosterage as one is Mahram on account of consanguinity.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Aflah b.
Qu'ais sought permission from me (to enter the house), but I refused to grant him the
permission, and he sent me (the message saying): I am your uncle (in the sense) that the
wife of my brother has suckled you, (but still) I refused to grant him permission. There
came the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and I made a mention of it to him, and
he said: He can enter (your house), for he is your uncle.

'Ali (Allah be pleased with him) reported having said this:
Messenger of Allah, why is it that you select (your wife) from among the Quraish, but you
ignore us (the nearest of the kin)? Thereupon he said: Have you anything for me (a
suitable match for me)? I said; Yes, the daughter of Hamza, whereupon Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) said: She is not lawful for me, for she is the daughter of my
brother by reason of fosterage.

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported: It was
proposed that he (the Holy Prophet) be married to the daughter of Hamza, whereupon he
said: She is not lawful for me for she is the daughter of my foster-brother, and that is
unlawful by reason of fosterage what is unlawful by reason of genealogy.

Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her), the wife of Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him), said: It was said to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be
upon him): Is not the daughter of Hamza a suitable match for you? Or it was said: Why
don't you propose to marry the daughter of Hamza, the son of Abd al-Muttalib? Thereupon he
said: Hamza is my brother by reason of fosterage.

Chapter 26: IT IS FORBIDDEN TO MARRY THE
STEP-DAUGHTER AND THE SISTER OF THE WIFE (WHEN WIFE IS ALIVE AND NOT DIVORCED)

Umm Habiba, the daughter of AbuSufyan, reported: The
Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to me and I said to him: Have you any
inclination towards my the daughter of Abu Sufyan? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Then what
should I do? I said: Marry her. He said: Do you like that? I said: I am not the exclusive
(wife) of yours; I, therefore, wish to join my sister in good. He, said: She is not lawful
for me. I said: I have been informed that you have given the proposal of marriage to
Durrah daughter of Abu Salama He raid: You mean the daughter of Umm Salama? I said: Yes.
He said: Even if she had not been my step-daughter brought up under my guardianship, she
would not have been lawful for me, for she is the daughter of my foster-brother (Hamza),
for Thuwaiba had suckled me and her father. So do not give me the proposal of the marriage
of your daughters and sisters. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham
with the same chain of transmitters.

Umm Habiba, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him), reported that she said to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him): Messenger of
Allah, marry my sister 'Azza, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Do
you like it? She said: Yes, Messenger of Allah, I am not the exclusive wife of yours, and
I wish that the person who joins me in good should be my sister. Thereupon Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: That is not lawful for me. I said: Messenger of
Allah, we discussed that You intend to marry Durrah bint Abu Salama. He (the Holy Prophet)
said: You mean the daughter of Abu Salama? She said: Yes, whereupon Allah's Messenger
(may. peace be upon him) said: Even if she were not the step-daughter of mine, brought up
under my guardianship, she would not have been lawful for me, for she is the daughter of
my foster-brother. Thuwaiba gave me suck and to Abu Salama (also), so do not offer to me
your daughters and sisters.

Umm al-Fadl reported: A bedouin came to Allah's Apostle
(may peace be upon him) when he was in my house and said: Allah's Apostle, I have had a
wife and I married another besides her, and my first wife claimed that she had suckled
once or twice my newly married wife, thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him)
said: One suckling or two do not make the (marriage) unlawful.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with, her) reported that it had
been revealed in the Holy Qur'an that ten clear sucklings make the marriage unlawful, then
it was abrogated (and substituted) by five sucklings and Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) died and it was before that time (found) in the Holy Qur'an (and recited by the
Muslims).

'Amra reported that she beard 'A'isha (Allah he pleased
with her) discussing fosterage which (makes marriage) unlawful; and she ('A'isha) said:
There was revealed in the Holy Qur'an ten clear sucklings, and then five clear
(sucklings).

' A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Sahla
bint Suhail came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be eupon him) and said: Messengerof Allah,
I see on the face of Abu Hudhaifa (signs of disgust) on entering of Salim (who is an ally)
into (our house), whereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Suckle him. She
said: How can I suckle him as he is a grown-up man? Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) smiled and said: I already know that he is a young man 'Amr has made this addition in
his narration that he participated in the Battle of Badr and in the narration of Ibn 'Umar
(the words are): Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) laughed.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Salim,
the freed slave of Abu Hadhaifa, lived with him and his family in their house. She (i. e.
the daughter of Suhail came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Salim has
attained (purbety) as men attain, and he understands what they understand, and he enters
our house freely, I, however, perceive that something (rankles) in the heart of Abu
Hudhaifa, whereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to her: Suckle him and
you would become unlawful for him, and (the rankling) which Abu Hudhaifa feels in his
heart will disappear. She returned and said: So I suckled him, and what (was there) in the
heart of Abu Hudhaifa disappeared.

Ibn Abu Mulaika reported that al-Qasim b. Muhammad b. Abu
Bakr had narrated to him that 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Sahla bint
Suhail b. 'Amr came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of
Allah, Salim (the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa) is living with us in our house, and he has
attained (puberty) as men attain it and has acquired knowledge (of the sex problems) as
men acquire, whereupon he said: Suckle him so that he may become unlawful (in regard to
marriage) for you He (Ibn Abu Mulaika) said: I refrained from (narrating this hadith) for
a year or so on account of fear. I then met al-Qasim and said to him: You narrated to me a
hadith which I did not narrate (to anyone) afterwards. He said: What is that? I informed
him, whereupon he said: Narrate it on my authority that 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with
her) had narrated that to me.

Umm Salama said to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her): A
young boy who is at the threshold of puberty comes to you. I, however, do not like that he
should come to me, whereupon 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) said: Don't you see in
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) a model for you? She also said: The wife of Abu
Hudhaifa said: Messenger of Allah, Salim comes to me and now he is a (grown-up) person,
and there is something that (rankles) in the mind of Abu Hudhaifa about him, whereupon
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Suckle him (so that he may become your
foster-child), and thus he may be able to come to you (freely).

Zainab daughter of Abu Salama reported: I heard Umm Salama,
the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon himy, saying to 'A'isha: By Allah, I do not
like to be seen by a young boy who has passed the period of fosterage, whereupon she
('A'isha) said: Why is it so? Sahla daughter of Suhail came to Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) and said: Allah's Messenger, I swear by Allah that I see in the face of
Abu Hudhaifa (the signs of disgust) on account of entering of Salim (in the house),
whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Suckle him. She (Sahla bint
Suhail) said: He has a heard. But he (again) said: Suckle him, and it would remove what is
there (expression of disgust) on the face of Abu Hudhaifa. She said: (I did that) and, by
Allah, I did not see (any sign of disgust) on the face of Abu Hadhaifa.

Umm Salama, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him), used to say that all wives of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) disclaimed the
idea that one with this type of fosterage (having been suckled after the proper period)
should come to them. and said to 'A'isha: By Allah, we do not find this but a sort of
concession given by Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) only for Salim, and no one
was ging to be allowed to enter (our houses) with this type of fosterage and we do not
subscribe to this view.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) visited me when a man was sitting near me, and he seemed
to disapprove of that. And I saw signs of anger on his face and I said: Messenger of
Allah, he is my brother by forsterage, whereupon he said: Consider who your brothers are
because of fosterage since fosterage is through hunger (i. e. in infancy).

This hadith is narrated on the authority of Abd al-Ahwas
with another chain of transmitters and a slight variation of words.

Chapter 29: IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO HAVE SEXUAL
INTERCOURSE WITH A CAPTIVE WOMAN AFTER SHE IS PURIFIED (OF MENSES OR DELIVERY) IN CASE SHE
HAS A HUSBAND, HER MARRIAGE IS ABROGATED AFTER SHE BECOMES CAPTIVE

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah her pleased with him) reported
that at the Battle of Hanain Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent an army to
Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them
captives, the Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace te upon him) seemed to refrain
from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists.
Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that:" And women already married, except
those whom your right hands possess (iv. 24)" (i. e. they were lawful for them when
their 'Idda period came to an end).

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported
that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) sent a small army. The rest of the hadith is
the same except this that he said: Except what your right hands possessout of them are
lawful for you; and he did not mention" when their 'idda period comes to an
end". This hadith has been reported on the authority of AbuSa'id (al-Khudri) (Allah
be pleased with him) through another chain of transmitters and the words are: They took
captives (women) on the day of Autas who had their husbands. They were afraid (to have
sexual intercourse with them) when this verse was revealed:" And women already
married except those whom you right hands posses" (iv. 24)

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Sa'd b. Abu
Waqqas and Abd b. Zam'a (Allah be pleased with them) disputed with each other over a young
boy. Sa'd said: Messenger of Allah, he is the son of my brother 'Utba b. Abu Waqqas as he
made it explicit that he was his son. Look at his resemblance. Abd b. Zam'a said Messenger
of Allah, he is my brother as he was born on the bed of my father from his slave-girl.
Allah's Messenger (way peace he upon him) looked at his resembl-. ance and found a clear
resemblance with 'Utba. (But) he said: He is yours 0 'Abd (b. Zam'a), for the child is to
be attributed to one on whose bed it is born, and stoning for a fornicator. Sauda bint
Zam'a, O you should observe veil from him. So he did not see Sauda at all. Muhammad b.
Rumh did not make a mention (of the words):" O Abd."

A hadith like this is narrated on the authority of Ibn
'Uyaiyna and Ma'mar (and the words are): The child is attributed to him on whose bed he is
born; but they did not mention this:" For a fornicator there is stoning."

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The child is to be attributed to one on whose
bed he is born, and for a fornicator there is stoning.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) visited me looking pleased as if his face was glistening
and said: Did you see that Mujazziz cast a glance at Zaid b. Haritha and Usama b. Zaid,
and (then) said: Some (of the features) of their feet are found in the others?

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: One day
Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) visited me looking pleased and he said: 'A'isha,
don't you see Mujazziz al-Mudliji? (He) entered (my house) and saw Usama and Zaid with a
rug over them covering their heads, but their feet appeared, and (he) said: These feet are
related to one another.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: A
physiognomist visited (our house) and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was
present, and Usama b. Zaid and Zaid b. Haritha were both lying asleep, and he (the
physiognomist), said: These feet are related to one another. Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) was pleased to hear this, and he was happy and informed 'A'isha (Allah be
pleased with her) about it.

'Abd al-Malik b. Abu Bakr b. Abd al-Rahman b. al-Harith b.
Hisham reported on the authority of his father from Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her)
that when Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) married Umm Salama, he stayed with her
for three nights, and said: There is no lack of estimation on the part of your husband for
you. If you wish I can stay with you for a week, but in case I stay with you for a week,
then I shall have to stay for a week with all my wives.

Ibn Abu Bakr b. Abd al-Rahman reported that when Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) married Umm Salama and she stayed with him (during the
night), and it was dawn, he (the Holy Prophet) said to her: There is no lack of estimation
for you on the part of your husband. So if you desire I can spend a week with you, and if
you like I may spend three (nights). and then I will visit you in turn. She said: Spend
three (nights).

Abu Bakr b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported that when Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) married Umm Salama and he visited her, and when he
intended to come out, she caught hold of his cloth. whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) said: If you so desire, I can extend the time (of my stay) with you, but then
I shall have to calculate the time (that I stay with you and shall have to spend the same
time with other wives). For the virgin woman, (her husband has to stay with her) for a
week, and for the woman previously married it is three days.

Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her) reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) married her, and he (the narrator) made mention
of so many things in this connection (and one of them was this) that he said: If you
desire that I spend a week with you, I shall have to spend a week with my (other) wives,
and if spend a week with you, I shall have to spend a week with my (other) wives.

Anas b. Malik reported: When anyone who has already a wife
marries virgin, he should stay with her for seven nights (and then turn to his other
wife), but when anyone having a virgin with him (as his wife) marries a woman who has been
previously married he should stay with her for three nights. Khalid (one of the narrators)
said. If I were to say that it could be directly traced to the Holy Prophet (may peace be
upon him). I would have told the truth, but he (Hadrat Anas) said: Such is the tradition.

Abu Qilaba reported on the authority of Anas: It is the
Sunnph to stay with a virgin (after having married her) for a week. Khalid (one of the
narrators) said: If wish I can say that it can be traced up to the Holy Prophet (may peace
be upon him).

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) had ninewives. So when he divided (his stay) with them,
the turn of the first wife did not come but on the ninth (day). They (all the wives) used
to gather every night in the house of one where he had to come (and stay that night). It
was (the night when he had to stay) in the house of 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her),
when Zainab came there. He (the Holy Prophet) stretched his hand towards her (Zainab),
whereupon she ('A'isha) said: It is Zainab. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him)
withdrew his hand. There was an altercation between the two until their voices became loud
(and it was at that time) when Iqama was pronounced for prayer. There happened to come Abu
Bakr and he heard their voices and said: Messenger of Allah, (kindly) come for prayer, and
throw dust in their moths. So the Prophet (may peace be upon him) went out. 'A'isha said:
When Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) would finish his prayer there would also come
Abu Bakr and he would do as he does (on such occasions, i. e. reprimanding). When Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) had finished his prayer, there came to her Abu Bakr. and
spoke to her ('A'isha) in stern words and said: Do you behave like this?

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Never did I
find any woman more loving to me than Sauda bint Zam'a. I wished I could be exactly like
her who was passionate. As she became old, she had made over her day (which she had to
spend) with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to 'A'isha. She said: I have made
over my day with you to 'A'isha. So Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) allotted two
days to 'A'isha, her own day (when it was her turn) and that of Sauda.

A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority of
Hisham with the same chain of narrators (and the words are): When Sauda became old (the
rest of the hadith is the same) and in the narration of Sharik there is an addition (of
these words:" She was the first woman whom he (Allah's Apostle) married after
me."

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: I felt
jealous of the women who offered themselves to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
and said: Then when Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this:" You may defer
any one of them you wish, and take to yourself any you wish; and if you desire any you
have set aside (no sin is chargeable to you)" (xxxiii. 51), I ('A'isha.) said: It
seems to me that your Lord hastens to satisfy your desire.

Hisham reported on the authority of his father that 'A'isha
(Allah be pleased with her) used to say: Does the woman not feel shy of offering herself
to a man? Then Allah the Exalted and Glorious revealed this verse:" You may defer any
of them you wish and take to yourself any you wish." I ('A'isha said): It seems to me
that your Lord hastens to satisfy your desire.

'Ata related that when they were with Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be
pleased with them) at the funeral of Maimuna In Sarif, Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with
them) said: This is the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) ; so when you lift
her bier, do not shake her or disturb her, but be gentle, for Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) had nine wives, with eight of whom he shared his time, but to one of them, he
did not allot a share. 'Ati said: The one to whom he did not allot a share of time was
Safiyya, daughter of Huyayy b. Akhtab.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A woman may be married for four reasons: for
her property, her status. her beauty and her religion, so try to get one who is religious,
may your hand be besmeared with dust.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: I
married a woman during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be. upon him). I met
the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), whereupon he said: Jabir, have you married?
I said: Yes. He said: A virgin or one previously marrried? I said: With due previously
married, whereupon he said: Why did you not marry a virgin with whom you could sport? I
said: Allah's Messenger, I have sisters; I was afraid that she might intervene between me
and them, whereupon he said: Well and good, if it is so. A woman is married for four
reasons, for her religion, her property, her status, her beauty, so you should choose one
with religion. May your hands cleave to dust.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported: I
married a woman, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Have you
married? I said: Yes. He said: Is it a virgin or a previously married one (widow or
divorced)? I said: With a previously married one, whereupon he said: Where had you been
(away) from the amusements of virgins? Shu'ba said: I made a mention of it to 'Amr b.
Dinar and he said: I too heard from Jabir making mention of that (that Allah's Apostle)
said: Why didn't you marry a girl, so that you might sport with her and she might sport
with you?

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported:
'Abdullah died and he left (behind him) nine or seven daughters. I married a woman who had
been previously married. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Jabir, have
you married? I said: Yes. He (again) said: A virgin or one previously married? I said:
Messenger of Allah, with one who was previously married, whereupon he said: Why didn't you
marry a young girl so that you could sport with her and she could sport with you, or you
could amuse with her and she could amuse with you? I said to him: 'Abdullah died (he fell
as martyr in Uhud) and left nine or seven daughters behind him; I, therefore, did not
approve of the idea that I should bring a (girl) like them, but I preferred to bring a
woman who should look after them and teach them good manners, whereupon he (Allah's
Messenger) said: May Allah bless you, or he supplicated (for the) good (to be) conferred
on me (by Allah).

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Jabir, have you married? The rest of
the hadith is the same up to (the words):" The woman would look after them and comb
them." He (Allah's Messenger), said: You did well. But no mention is made of the
subsequent portion.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported:
We were with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in an expedition. When we returned
I urged my camel to move quickly as it was slow. There met me a rider from behind me and
he goaded it with an iron-tipped stick which he had with him. My camel moved forward like
the best that you have ever seen. As I turned (my face) I found him to be Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) He said: Jabir, what hastens you? I said: Messenger of
Allah, I am newly wedded. whereupon he said: Is it a virgin that you have married or one
previously married? I said: With one previously married. He said: Why not a young girl so
that you could play with her and she could play with you? Then when we arrived at and were
about to enter Medina he said: Wait, so that we may enter by night (i. e. in the evening)
in order that the woman with dishevelled hair may comb it, and the woman whose husband had
been away may get herself clean; and when you enter (then you have the) enjoyment (of tho
wife's company).

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I
went out with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) on an expedition, but my camel
delayed me. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to me and said to me: Jabir, I
said: Yes. Allah's Messenger, (here I am at your beck and call) He said: What is the
matter with you? I said: My camel has delayed me and is tired, so I have lagged behind. He
(the Holy Prophet) got down and goaded it with a crooked stick and then said: Mount it. So
I mounted and (to my great surprise) I saw it (moving so quickly that) I had to restrain
it (from going ahead of) Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet)
(in the course of journey said to me): Have you married? I said: Yes. He (again) said: Is
it with a virgin or one previously married? I said. With one previously married, whereupon
he (again) said: Why not with a young girl with whom you could sport and she could have
sported with you? I said: I have sisters, so I preferred to marry a woman who could keep
them together (as one family). who could comb them and look after them. He said: You are
about to go (to your house), and there you have the enjoyment (of the wife's company). He
again said: Do you want to sell your camel? I said: Yes. So he bought it from me for one
u'qiya (of silver), Then Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) arrived (at Medina) and
I arrived in the evening. I went to the mosque and found him at the door of the mosque,
and said: Is it now that you have arrived? I said: Yes, He said: Leave your camel, and
enter (the mosque) and offer two rak'ahs. So I entered and offered two rak'ahs of prayer,
and then returned. He (the Holy Prophet) then commanded Bilal to weigh out one 'uqiya (of
silver) tor me. Bilal weighed that out for me (lowering the scale of) balance. So I
proceeded and as I turned my back he said: Call for me, Jabir. So I was called back, and I
said (to myself): He would return me the camel, and nothing was more displeasing to me
than this (that after having received the price I should also get the camel). He said:
Take your camel and keep its price with you, (also).

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported:
We were with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in a journey, and I was riding a
camel meant for carrying water and it lagged behind all persons. Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) hit it or goaded it (I think) with something he had with him. And after
it (it moved so quickly) that it went ahead of all persons and it struggled with me (to
move faster than I permitted It) and I had to restrain it. Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) said: Do you sell it at such and such (price)? May Allah grant you pardon. I
said: Allah's Apostle, it is yours. He (again) said: Do you sell it at such and such
(price)? May Allah grant you pardon. ' I said: Allah's Apostle, it is yours. He said to
me: Have you married after the death of your father? I said: Yes. He (again) said: With
one previously married or a virgin? I said: With one previously married. He said: Why
didn't you marry a virgin who might amuse you and you might amuse her, and she might sport
with you and you might sport with her? Abu Nadra said: That was the common phrase which
the Muslims spoke:" You do such and such (thing) and Allah may grant you
pardon."

AbuHuraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Woman is like a rib. When you attempt to
straighten it, you would break it. And if you leave her alone you would benefit by her,
and crookedness will remain in her. A hadith like this is reported by another chain of
narrators

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported: Woman has
been created from a rib and will in no way be straightened for you; so if you wish to
benefit by her, benefit by her while crookedness remains in her. And if you attempt to
straighten her, you will break her, and breaking her is divorcing her.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who believes in Allah and the Hereafter, if
he witnesses any matter he should talk in good terms about it or keep quiet. Act kindly
towards woman, for woman is created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is
its top. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it, and if you leave it, its
crookedness will remain there. So act kindly towards women.

Ab Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A believing man should not hate a believing
woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another.

Hammam b. Munabbih said: These are some of the ahadith
which Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) narrated to us from Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him), and one of these (this one): Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
said: Had it not been for Bani Isra'il, food would not have become stale, and meal would
not have gone bad; and had it not been for Eve, a woman would never have acted
unfaithfully toward her husband.